Photograph-developing apparatus.



P. W. NORTON. PHOTOGRAPH DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION run nov. 21, 1912.

INVENTOYR WM m Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

WITNESSES UNITEDSTATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FRANK W. NORTON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA rno'roomrn-nnvmomne arraanrusi Specification (it-Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 30, 1913. Application meaimvember- 21', 1912., Serial Roi-723,658;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. NoR'roN,

a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and" State of Iowa, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Photograph- Developing Apparatus, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sheets or prints may be edgewise supported and maintained in separated relations by meaps 'of air forced therebetween, while the same are undergoing the photographic bath required'in the process of'finishing the. 'same.

sists in the novel combination 'and arrangement of illustrate and pointed outin the appended claims.

arts hereinafter fully described,

In the drawings formlng a part of'this application and in which like numeralsof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective'view of a four-tank arrangement of the device. Fig. 2is a' longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through one of the tanks. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view. taken through portions of two adjacent tanks and'showing the photographic members edgewise positioned in one of the same, and Fig. 4 shows a tank partially'broken away of the preferred form of construction with a holder suspended therein.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, a rectangular sup rting frame 10 has mounted thereon the uid containers 11, here illustrated as four in number and of equal size, each one embodying the elements of the present invention and being identical in construction. I

For forming said containers a bottom member '1'2:-ispreferably"-. constructed supported upon the frame 10, having an air in the accompanying drawings,.

central point of" the ttom thereof. Said air inlet pipes 13'are connected to the main.

air supply pipe 14 which may be supplied with air from either a compressor or air reservoir while the air pressurethrough the inlets 13 is controlled through each by a separate air valve 15. The containers 11 are provided with perforated screens 16 forming false bot-toms thereinand beneath the level of which the air inlets 13 enter-and terminate.

Inoperation while the apparatus may be employed-for performing the usual operations in photography of both developing andtoning the prints, it willbe seen that inlet pipe'13 entering substantially at the y the invention is primarily designed for more perfectly handling a large number of the photographic sheet members whether films on prints during therequired process of bathing and'washing the same The present invention carries out this I object by agitating the immersing fluid on all sides of the photographic members and also reventing the adherence o if separate, mem ers together. 1'

-Inoperation, the containers 11 whether all'designed for the same solution ordifier ent solutions in the several stepsof the photographic members; 17 edgewisepositioned as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings upon the f-oraminous false bottom 16,

it being understood that the container is filled with the photographic chemicals or fluid to a height above the members 17 so as to completely immerse the same as illustrated. The inflow of air through the inlets 13 controlled by the valves 15 forces the same through the fluid beneath the floor 16,

through the perforations of the latter andupwardly between and upon all sides of the photographic members 17, thus agitating the fluid around the same and thereby perfectin the photogra hic process.

nproviding ifterent baths in the separate containers, the photographic members when completely acted upon by one fluid,

maybe readily removed and inserted in the next container in the series.

Instead of, mounting the photographic members upon the foraminous bottom 16, it is. found preferable to provide a lining member 20 open at both the top and bottom and adapted to be suspended within the con process, are adapted to -freely receive the tainer 11 by means 'of'brackets 21 adjustably secured to the opposite ends of the lining. Said lining is provided with transversemembers such as wires or cords 22 secured through side perforations 23 thereof and upon which the photographic members are edgewise positioned. lit is desirable that the to edges of the photo raphic members be on y slightly beneath t e upper surface of the process fluid and for this purpose the transverse members 22 are adapted for properly positioning any size of photographic members therein.

The preferable form of the invention is shown in Fi 4 in the use of the lining member 20, but it is noted that when the latter is employed, it is not essential to include the foraminous bottom 16 as the same no longer forms a supporting means and may therefore advantageously be omitted.

Nhile the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made inform, proportion and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention and in what manner the same is designed for use, what I claim as new and desire to-secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A device of the class described comprising a frame work, a bottom tray member positioned thereon, separated containers upon the upper face of said tray member, casings positioned in each of said separated containers, foraminous false bottoms, one within each of said containers,- fluld inlets tapped of said containers,

through said tray member in each of said containers and beneath the false bottom thereof, and means for regulating the flow of fluid to said inlets, said false bottom being adapted to edgewise support photographic members thereon within the casings and immersed Within the fluid of said containers.

2. A. device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive a photographic solution, a perforated false bottom horizontally positioned therein adjacent the bottom thereof, an air inlet pipe entering nous false bottoms positioned within each air inlets passing through said tray member and communicating with the interior of each of said con- .ta-iners, said false bottoms being adapted to edgewise support photographic members thereon immersed within the fluid of said containers.

lln testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I rnann w. NORTON. Witnesses I JoHN M. ELY, Ermnvn GRAD. 

